Newsgroups: bit.listserv.scuba-l Date: Tue, 9 Jan 1996 09:10:30 EST Sender: Scuba diving discussion list From: Wendy Glatfelter Subject: New Diving Spot Lines: 59 SCUBA DIVERS CAUSED CHANNEL TUNNEL CHAOS (extract from the Dover Recorder, 01/04/95) Two scuba divers caused a full scale security alert and halted trains in the channel tunnel for over six hours, it emerged today. The divers, Steve Clark and Alison Fortune, were on a diving holiday when they thought they had discovered a sunken "mulberry harbour". "These were large concrete pontoons used for landing troops on D day," said Steve. "But when we swam inside we had the shock of our lives." "We entered an air lock with a light on." "I thought I had the bends because I had gone too deep, but then I pressed a red button," he said. "This started some pumping machinery - and then we could do nothing but wait, as our escape was blocked." Both divers had to wait 30 minutes while the water was pumped out of the airlock. "During this time I realised we were probably in the channel tunnel," he said. "There was no going back at this stage because by then we had run out of air." After a while, they were easily able to enter a service tunnel via a ladder, which is normally restricted to maintenance workers. "I eventually found a phone and we spoke to someone who couldn t speak a word of English," he continued , "just my luck!" Meanwhile, on the surface, a full scale air sea search and rescue operation had been launched in an attempt to locate the missing divers. Two RAF Wessex helicopters and a naval frigate were scrambled. Dover coastguard informed all shipping in the area to be on the alert. As the divers explored their newly found subterranean cavern, they could hear nearby trains whizzing past at high speed. "Then Alison suggested trying to flag one down." "I thought it was a crazy idea at first, but it seemed better than walking." Steve said. They listened for a train, and then leaned over into the main rail tunnel and waved a diving torch as one came towards them. "It didn t stop or slow down, so we started to walk." said Steve. However, the train driver had seen the torch and radioed ahead to warn the authorities of a possible terrorist attack. A well rehearsed emergency procedure was then put into full swing and all trains were immediately stopped from entering the tunnel. Fifteen minutes later, two French vehicles containing soldiers and armed police arrived. Steve and Alison were ordered at gunpoint to lie down on the floor. They were then handcuffed and taken to a French military base at Dunkirk for questioning. As their story began to unfold, the Coastguard were informed by telephone and the search for the missing divers called off. However the pair were detained for a further six hours, while they explained how they had breached tunnel security measures. The train service was not resumed until a full search of the tunnel had been carried out. The two divers were eventually released and flown back to Dover in a French helicopter where they were reunited with their families. "I m just glad to have my feet back on British soil" said Steve, as he sipped a pint at his local, the Red Lion in Basingstoke. "It was very interesting while it lasted, but next time I will be more careful" he said. A spokesman for Eurotunnel said the incident is being fully investigated. "The emergency hatches are securely locked and are not meant to be used by civilian divers under any circumstances," he said. "This is a notice to this effect clearly marked on the hatch, and charges for criminal damage may follow." Both divers said underwater visibility was very poor and they did not see any warning notices. Mr. Clark later denied using a crowbar and special cutting equipment to open the hatch. It is expected that MPs will raise further questions about the security of the Channel Tunnel in the House of Commons.